Rockies Magic Number

Friday, May 26, 2006

3 Runs in 4 Games?!

Date: 5/26/2006
Position: T-3rd NL West
Games Back: 3.0
Elimination Number: 112

It's official. Clint Barmes has dropped below the Mendoza line.

After striking out in the top of the 9th in the Giants' trouncing of the Rockies, Barmes dropped to .199 on the season.

There was nothing good about this game: The Rockies only managed 5 hits on the game, and Jeff Francis allowed 7 runs in 5IP (his first roughing up since his first start of the season (Apr. 6)), raising his season ERA to 3.86, and dropping the Rockies runs/game on this NL West road trip to 0.75 runs/game

What happened? Did we blow our wad against Toronto and expect the NL West to just roll over and play dead? Clint Hurdle needs to do something, and now, to make this team function again.

And I think he needs to start at SS.

Clint Barmes is an embarrassment at the plate. Plain and Simple. He has struck out 27 times in 43 games. Not quite as bad as Cory Sullivan (37 in 42), but Sullivan can at least back himself up with a .273 average right now. Solution? Send Barmes down. Bring up Quintanilla. Hell, bring up Stewart, see how he handles SS. Or maybe Jayson Nix. Nix is only batting .253 in CSprings, but here's a key stat: He's been walked 18 times. Barmes: 3. Just a thought.

But Barmes isn't the only one to blame. Hawpe has seen his average drop 21 points over the road trip; Sullivan's bat has dropped 29 points in the past 2 weeks. As a team, the Rockies have stranded 27 runners in the past 4 games. The worst part is that the way the Dodgers beat up our pitchers, we still would have lost those games.

Not to forget Sunny Kim, whose 3 ER in 2 IP since coming off the DL is actually lowering his ERA. Remind me why he's still wearing the black and purple?

Also good news, Danny Ardoin has been placed on the 15-day DL with a strained knee, and JD Closser has been called up. While I'd rather have Marrero in the lineup, Closser is batting .313 in CSprings, with 2HR and 2RBIs in 20 games.

So, now we have injuries, callups, and zero batting right now.

The Rockies have temporarily lost that Lovin' feeling.

Something needs to stir, and soon.

Let's hope for good things out of this next game against SF, as Josh Fogg (3-2, 4.35) will attempt to give the Rockies a chance to WIN a game on this road trip, while Matt Cain (2-5, 5.47) will attempt to take another road series from the Rockies.

Until next time, the Rockies need some mojo, so if you can, tune into the game, cheer loud, send your schpadoinkle. But for now, Good night, Good Luck, and GO ROCKIES!!!

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